Leadership Vision: A training game or a leadership game to illustrate facilitative leadership

Leadership Vision: You can play this training game in a large group (30 or so people) or in small groups (say 10 or so people).

Let's say you are playing this game in small groups. Each group has to choose a facilitator. The task is to give each facilitator a shape, say a square, a circle, a triangle etc. The task for the facilitator is to get the group to stand in that shape.

There's a catch: the facilitator/the group cannot speak or draw. They can only gesture or touch to get the task done. They cannot push or pull people into position.

The variation: The task can also be to get the all the group to sit in that shape. Or it could be that all the group members are meant to stand on one leg, or with their eyes closed. Be as creative as you want.

Leadership Vision: The debrief of this training game: Lesson 1:Only the leader is given the task. Similarly, only the leader has the complete picture. The leader can only make sure that every person knows this picture and participates in achieving this picture, without forcing them to have it.

When no force is used, there is willing participation. When no telling is used, there is challenge in sharing it and achieving it. A crucial learning from this training game.

Lesson 2 from this training game: Leading by example. The best way to demonstrate task, willingness to achieve, dignity of labor is to lead by example. Telling will impress only those whose style it is to do when told (which is probably only 10% of your team strength).

Also get a monthly e-zine 'Stories for EL' free for stories, training games and activities that you can use to emphasise experiential learning. Stories, experiences and their lessons are easily remembered.

They can also be used to communicate a concept effectively. They add the 'aha' or 'Eureka' or 'got it' factor to presentations and lectures. They are great tools to use in debriefs of training games and learning games, to drive home a crucial point.

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